How to contact us for advice
We provide advice to parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and kinship carers who are involved with children’s services in England or need their help. We can help you understand processes and options when social workers or courts are making decisions about your child’s welfare.
Our advice service is free, independent and confidential.
To speak to an adviser, please call our free and confidential advice line 0808 801 0366 (Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays). For Textphone dial 18001 followed by the advice line number. Or you can ask us a question via email using our advice enquiry form.
Our online advice forums are an anonymous space where parents and kinship carers (also known as family and friends carers) can get legal and practical advice, build a support network and learn from other people’s experiences.
Our get help and advice section describes the processes that you and your family are likely to go through, so that you know what to expect. Our webchat service can help you find the information and advice on our website which will help you understand the law and your rights.
The Taskforce has carried out an extensive evidence-gathering exercise. Thousands of kinship carers and the children they are raising have shared their experiences with us, as have legal and social work practitioners, local and national decision makers and organisations working with kinship care families.
Regional kinship carer consultation events
Between January and September 2019 Family Rights Group coordinated a series of ten Taskforce meetings across England and Wales, on behalf of the Taskforce. Each event was held by a different organisation in the Kinship Care Alliance and where Parliamentary business permitted, chaired by an MP:
In addition, a number of local kinship groups held special Parliamentary Taskforce discussion sessions and invited their local MPs to attend. Notes from the discussion sessions were forwarded to the Taskforce as part of the evidence-gathering.
Kinship carer surveys
In 2020 Family Rights Group on behalf of the Taskforce conducted a survey of kinship carers’ experiences during the Pandemic. The survey’s findings can be read here.
In 2019 Family Rights Group carried out an extensive survey of kinship carers. 845 kinship carers raising at least 1252 kinship children filled in the survey.
The survey report – ‘The highs and lows of kinship care: analysis of a comprehensive survey of kinship carers 2019’ was published in September 2019. Analysis of the survey has been presented to the Taskforce and has informed the Taskforce’s recommendations.
Written evidence submissions
The Taskforce issued a call for written evidence from organisations and individuals working with kinship carers, children and families, including child welfare and family justice organisations. This was an opportunity to share insight with the Taskforce, including information about practice challenges, effective ways of working and recommendations for change.
Freedom of Information request to local authorities
The Taskforce sent a Freedom of Information request in February 2019 to all English local authorities. The responses have been analysed and the results incorporated in the Taskforce’s report.
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